


Echoes

by TheDR



Category: Rockman X | Mega Man X, Rockman Zero | Mega Man Zero
Genre: F/M, References to MMX, Relationship Hinting, Slight Canon Divergence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-13
Updated: 2020-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:09:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23126806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheDR/pseuds/TheDR
Summary: Set immediately after the battle against Omega at the end of MMZ3, Zero returns to the base for expected treatments and recovery to his damaged body. But in realizing exactly what his body is and the value of his soul, the proper catalyst has been set to break down the floodgates of his subconscious.
Relationships: Ciel/Zero (Rockman)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 21





	Echoes

A ‘fake’ body, as was described by Weil. Well, be that as it may, this ‘fake’ vessel of the true Zero’s soul needed its repairs in the end. This thought before drifting off into whatever curious state of dreaming that Reploids were evidently capable of made the crimson android smile a bit to himself, though that wasn’t exactly enough to full distract one’s mind from the harsh injuries sustained from his battle against Omega… or worrying thoughts over the Guardians’ states. 

In any case, Ciel’s constant complaints regarding the reploid’s need for rest while repairs are done to him within the recuperation capsules were more than valid. The poor girl’s been worried and bogged down by enough stresses to turn a weaker human’s hair gray and silver, but she had managed to maintain such respectable poise until now. 

“The least… I can do…” As such words were essentially inaudible while murmured from Zero’s lips, his eyelids felt so… heavy. He could feel the bedding around him give slight, almost comfortable shakes as the mechanical lid over his capsule was coming down for an air-tight seal. From there, Ciel and her team could get right to work on Zero’s repairs with no interruptions. And he could give some rest to the swirling thoughts about his own body… his own… existence… the Guar… dians… 

… 

_ … X …  _

_ …  _

_ …?  _

_ What is this?  _

This was not… normal. 

Zero never was able to properly recall his dreams- and he was especially incapable of deciphering any philosophical questions about a Reploid’s ability to dream or what such mental images actually were- but even he knew… this was not natural. 

_...Stop.  _

These weren’t the random, rarely coherent sequence of events brought on by the subconscious. They weren’t just peculiar sproutlings from the mind. This wasn’t even a nightmare that the android could scarcely decrypt. This was just… the pure and raw feeding of data. 

Data once long, long lost. 

_ Is this… an attack?! Is Ciel doing this… or seeing this?!  _

Blurred paintings were becoming so clear. As obvious and calm as an unmuddied lake, to the point where Zero could see his own reflection on their pristine surfaces. And in each picture framed with such ancient and aged pieces of wood… there was only horror. 

_ Ciel… Ciel! Anyone! You have to wake me up!  _

Every frame of the film reels pouring into his consciousness was a painting so rich in the finer details and accuracies. They were perfect in composition, so much so that they burned themselves into the Reploid’s retinas, ensuring that even shutting those lids as tight as they possibly could be wouldn’t be enough to shake off the pictures. 

But seeing the bodies of the Hunters he ambushed and killed? The Commander he corrupted and led into a war path? The woman… women… of his heart both lying limp within his arms? Such things to remember were awful to reexperience for such, but the horrors evolved into a far larger beast when Zero could truly… finally… remember them all by name. 

_ Why… why now of all times, God damn you?! That’s enough!  _

The impulse was programmed into his very design, so it was fine. Charge in while their backs were turned. Rip the limbs from their joints so they can’t fight back while you have your fun. This is your purpose. Destroy everything even remotely related to Li---’s legacy! If you kill enough, then HE will appear! DLN… 001… Destroy and make an example out of him for the world to- 

_ No! That’s not me, you bastards! Just shut it all off, right now!  _

Avoid the saber’s light-blade! Duck to the left! Now you have a clear shot to cleave off his arm! Now have your fun. Crush in that skull and see what makes this cueball tick--

_ I’ll kill you! I don’t know who or what the hell you are, but you’ll regret making me see all these… these lies!  _

X, huh… he’s got a good heart, but it’ll get him hurt badly or even killed. Just gotta look after the greenhorn a bit and he’ll turn into something really great. You can feel it. 

_ That’s… how we…  _

You always told him to be careful… but now look at me. But it’s fine… all good… he’s ready to take on Sig… 

_ … That’s… not the end. Why do I know…  _

This new Operator’s a bit on the quieter side, but a natural! Keeps giving me these weird glances.

… Why am I even complaining? If there’s time between missions, I ought to talk to…

_ No! No, you have to stop!  _

Colonel, you idiot! What the hell kind of choice are you leaving me-- 

_ That’s enough!  _

You have to understand! I had to-

_ I had to do it! No… no, goddammit, stop this one right now! You made your point, you can even skip ahead, but--  _

Please, just stand down! Surrender or just let me talk! I… I can’t just let you kill me! Not even you, Ir-- 

_ PLEASE, Stop!  _

Hang on! Please, we’ll get you to a recovery-- 

_ I’m begging you!  _ What’s the point in all of this?! There’s nothing left!!  _ I can’t take it!  _ X get down!  _ I don’t need any of this! I’ll just block it out again, I swear!  _ Tell us what you know about Red Alert, kid.  _ That has to be everything, it has to-  _ New Operators? I guess even Alia needs the extra set of hands and eyes, huh?  _ For the love of God, no.  _ Layer? Sure, I can talk. What’s on your mi-  _ She should have never gotten involved! I never should have brought her into that life! Why the hell didn’t I learn!?  _ Why didn’t I reject her?!  _ Otherwise she’d be-- _

…

...I just want to sleep. Away from it all. 

___

When those eyes were open once more, the room was pitch black. The capsule’s sensors scanned the new activity coming from its awakening patient, the lid remaining sealed shut until all aspects of the body were marked green and good to go. As always, Ciel’s work was flawless, so not even a second test is needed before the pod opens up, allowing a healed Reploid to step out from its holding. 

Blue eyes glanced around for a moment, an internal HUD from within the blonde’s visual receptors going off to give him the current time and date. 

…

Three days since he went into recovery… and the middle of the night. Just past 4 am, even. So it would only be right for the crimson android to practice some tact and remain quiet for everyone else… or go back into rest mode?

… No. The very thought twisted non-existent guts into knots. 

Not now. Please. He just had to walk. 

It didn’t long at all for him to reach her lab, even being generally undetected. Despite all that he knew now… all he remembered… he was still able to keep to himself. This was his burden to bear, after all. At best, he can share any essential information for the sake of clarifying or filling in any of the gaps present in history that he lived through. Give crucial information so that certain mistakes could never be repeated. Offer a voice to those long forgotten. But what was personal… he couldn’t dare to burden others with such trifles. The Resistance had too much on its plate as is, now that Weil still held power over Neo Arcadia. 

Yes… it was his weight to carry. 

“Zer…” 

A sluggish groan catches his attention immediately. With a dim light still on within the lab from a lamp sitting atop of the main desk, Ciel is seen in an all-too-familiar position: slouched over atop of said desk, fast asleep over all of her notes, and an empty cup of coffee nearby. It’s enough to give the approaching Zero… new comfort. Especially in such a disturbing turning point of his life. 

“You’ll hurt your neck.” A light shake to the shoulders and gentle lecture stirs the young scientist from her sleep, who immediately jolted up to see who had caught her in such an embarrassing manner! 

“Still work to finish!” Clearly, this has happened far too often for Ciel to retort in such a manner without even thinking! But when she shakes golden bangs away from her eyes and peers upwards toward the towering Zero… she’s a beet. Red from not just shame, but the joy of seeing her Hero up and around as always! 

“Oh, thank goodness! I-I know I must sound so neurotic, but I wasn’t too sure if those repairs went off as smoothly as the others! There were so many odd reactions coming off from your brainwaves and core that I- I- I…. I-I mean I just got so worried, Zero! It’s like you were in the middle of a panic attack in some moments and went as stiff as a board in others and there was no other cases on record to compare it with!

The rambling train is moving with no end station in sight, especially when tears peek out from the corners of Ciel’s baby blues. 

“O-Oh God, if there’s anything, absolutely ANYthing about you operating differently than it should, then please let me know! I’ve been up trying to find the clues and answers to those unconscious spasms, but I’m still coming up with nothing! I’m so sorry Zer-” 

There was no more of that allowed. With a single hand coming down to the back of her head, the towering Reploid silences Ciel, pushing her down for such an odd embrace against his torso. “I’m fine,” answered back cooly, offering no hints toward the many intrusive thoughts and memories brewing within Zero’s mind. Instead, the voice is everything it has to be in order to put the girl into immediate calm with its gentle volume while firm enough to cut through the air. “Your work was perfect as always. But now you need some rest.”   
  
From this… the top of Ciel’s forehead is positively steaming! She can’t decide if she’s about to faint or in the middle of some fantasy spurred on from a nap atop her desk! It wouldn’t be the first time… 

“I-I… I suppose that’s… fair enough… but only if you really feel well!” The nod Zero answers her back with puts Ciel at ease, though the moment of weakness allows her utter exhaustion to rear its ugly head with a prolonged yawn.

“,,,Excuse me.” As if she couldn’t get any more red in the face, Ciel rose from her seat before she could embarrass herself any further in front of Zero, of all people! She’s wiping at the corners of her eyes from their dried tears, prompting the Reploid to bring a hand to the scientist’s back and guide her; if just so that she doesn’t accidentally bump against anything on the way out to her bedroom directly next door.. 

“Th-Thanks…” With just a few steps, Ciel is standing at the entrance of her room, the door recognizing the blonde and sliding itself open for her. But before she can just crash onto the heaven awaiting her in the form of a comfy mattress… she turns back for a warm smile, directly aimed at Zero like a lethal weapon to the heart. “For… absolutely everything you’ve done for us until now, Zero. Honestly, truly… there’s just nothing else I can say to describe it.” 

The gesture of gratitude and kindness is not lost on the Reploid, whose gaze fell squarely on Ciel herself. In this moment, he was able to forget the unforgettable traumas of the past era and instead offer her his complete focus for just a few seconds. But what precious seconds they are. 

“If not for you waking me up and taking me on this path… so much of my life would be missing. So all of this is just the bare minimum of what I can do. Now go and rest.”

And in an inconceivable motion… the Reploid’s hand rose, the very tips of his fingers touching down onto the side of Ciel’s left cheek. The moment is hardly registered in even her brilliant mind, but she tenses up from the very moment realization struck her. But why was he doing it?! Zero himself was utterly confounded by his own action, immediately regretting it and thinking he overstepped boundaries. 

“I…”

But in an act that immediately silenced his sudden fears… Ciel brought a hand to the back of his, making sure to never break her smile nor eye contact while leaning into such a warm palm. 

“Good night, Zero. And thank you again.” 

“... I’ll talk with you when you wake up, then.” When the hand of his twitched and back to withdraw, Ciel was kind enough to allow the android to pull it away. And so Zero’s especially-warm hand fell limp at the side of his waist, feet pulling back to allow the young scientist her space for rest. “And have a good night… Ciel.”

She offers him a final look and wave before stepping in, though her next hour of ‘rest’ was going to be solely dedicated to silent panicking and rolling around her mattress to process what just occurred. 

But for Zero…

“I shouldn’t have done that…” 

He had to keep some distance. How in God’s name could he dare to ensnare another one into a death trap? The Reploid stared down at the palm that touched her on the way back to the recovery room, cursing at himself for such an action. 

‘Wait…’ There was one last pondering for the night as Zero attempted to step back into his pod for a recharge. ‘She’s always… been involved. A part of this life. Of this war.’ 

The mechanical lid was coming down once more, about to send the hero back into his darkness once more. 

‘Then what would change… besides us getting closer? Am I just… scared of feeling that pain again?’ 

And if there was no true selflessness in trying to keep her away… why do it? 

The hand clenched into a tight fist before falling once more to his side. It was going to be a hard, arduous night to get through, he knew that. Nothing could be as it was before, not with all the knowledge he recalled. The memories were going to resurface constantly, the dreams would be far more perplexing, and nightmares would be like staring into the maws of Hell. 

  
  


But the past is not his anchor.

Zero will always keep moving forward until the job is done.  And if given proper blessing... he may be able to pursue his own happiness by the end of the road. 

Surely, that wasn't too much to ask for... was it?

**Author's Note:**

> I sincerely hope any fan of this series has enjoyed what I've written. Megaman X and Zero have been my earliest introductions into not only video games, but video game storytelling as a whole. As such, this is something that I've always wanted to at least attempt, though the inspiration to quickly write it all came to me in a single day, while the juices were flowing. I hope to maintain some kind of discipline to write more and always send your feedback.


End file.
